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Lead Stories: Monday, October 6, 2008

Sara Hall: Back to the Mountains
(Elite Athlete Blog - Entry #4)

Posted March 7th, 2008 at 6:45 PM by Sara Hall

Section: Elite Athlete Blogs, Sara Hall

Welcome to the official blog of U.S. middle-distance runner Sara Hall. Sara’s list of running accolades include being a former NCAA All- American at Stanford, the 2006 USA 5K road champion, and the 2006 champion at the Continental Fifth Avenue Mile. Check back every other Friday for her latest entry at http://sarahall.thefinalsprint.com/

This week I returned to our home in Big Bear Lake after a stint in San Diego, which is always bittersweet. After being down at sea level and getting a taste of racing, I just want to stay down and race every weekend! But as I made my way up the mountain, the sun was glowing on the snow-capped pine trees and I remembered why I love living up here. They day got even better when I was greeted warmly by our puppy Kai, a miniature Siberian Husky. Ryan was out getting a massage, so she was the only one around to greet me. We headed out for a run together before it got too dark and cold. Kai always makes runs go by fast, running gleefully ahead of me, chasing squirrels up into the trees and carrying a 5 lb. hunk of bone she found somewhere. I never thought I would be one of those people that became so attached to their pets (I mean, they’re animals, right?) but in the 5 months we have owned Kai she has brought such a joy to my life that I never would have expected. It’s neat how God can use even the littlest things sometimes to liven our spirits!
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Sara Hall: Patience
(Elite Athlete Blog - Entry #3)

Posted February 22nd, 2008 at 2:12 PM by Sara Hall

Section: News & Results, Track & Field, Elite Athlete Blogs, Sara Hall

Welcome to the official blog of U.S. middle-distance runner Sara Hall. Sara’s list of running accolades include being a former NCAA All- American at Stanford, the 2006 USA 5K road champion, 5th place finisher in the 1500m at the 2007 USA Track & Field Championships and the 2006 champion at the Continental Airlines Fifth Avenue Mile. Check back every other Friday for her latest entry!

When Ryan and I were first dating during our Freshman year at Stanford, he used to jokingly call me “Sara Patience Bei”. Patience is far from my middle name. It first became apparent in the speed at which we both walked. Freshmen weren’t allowed to have cars at Stanford, so we walked everywhere. Ryan would always whine that I was walking too fast. But the way, he dragged his feet even if we were late. That would make me wonder how somehow who is so fast can walk so slow! The difference in how Ryan and I handle traffic, lines, to-do lists, and overall pace of life is incredible!
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Sara Hall: Legacy …
… Team World Vision!
(Elite Athlete Blog - Entry #2)

Posted February 8th, 2008 at 7:00 PM by Sara Hall

Section: News & Results, Track & Field, Elite Athlete Blogs, Sara Hall

Welcome to the official blog of U.S. middle-distance runner Sara Hall. Sara’s list of running accolades include being a former NCAA All- American at Stanford, the 2006 USA 5K road champion, 5th place finisher in the 1500m at the 2007 USA Track & Field Championships and the 2006 champion at the Continental Airlines Fifth Avenue Mile. Check back every other Friday for her latest entry!

What kind of legacy are you leaving behind? It’s a question I often think about, especially recently when I was asked by a reporter from ESPN, “What will Ryan Shay’s legacy be?”

I’m sure that Ryan’s death jolted all of us out of our daily routine into thinking about our own lives and what we are living for and to what end.

I don’t want to look back on my life and say, “Well, I won some races, set some records, traveled around the world… but didn’t really do anything to change the world around me”. Not to say that everyone needs to go live among lepers in Calcutta like Mother Teresa, but I believe we are all called to make an impact.
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Sara Hall: Hello from Philly!
(Elite Athlete Blog - Entry #1)

Posted January 25th, 2008 at 3:00 PM by Sara Hall

Section: News & Results, Track & Field, Elite Athlete Blogs, Sara Hall

Welcome to the official blog of U.S. middle-distance runner Sara Hall. Sara’s list of running accolades include being a former NCAA All- American at Stanford, the 2006 USA 5K road champion, 5th place finisher in the 1500m at the 2007 USA Track & Field Championships and the 2006 champion at the Continental Airlines Fifth Avenue Mile. Check back every other Friday for her latest entry!

Hello from Philly! I am staying out here in between east coast competitions for the next couple weeks with my training partners Jen Rhines and Kassi Anderson. Tomorrow we head to Boston for the Reebok Indoor Games, and then Jen and I will return before Millrose the following weekend. It has been fun getting to know the running community here in Philly and being reminded how running brings people together socially. I had this same impression in Flagstaff, Arizona prior to coming to the east coast. The running community in Flagstaff is made up of all kinds of people. From working the night shift at a pharmacy to taking a break from practicing law to recently graduating from college, all the runners come from different places, yet are brought together by this common passion.

These experiences, as well as some others I have had recently, have reiterated to me how life is all about relationships. It is so easy to get tunnel-vision as a professional athlete, and become so fixated on the goals you have in front of you and where you are in the process that it becomes all-consuming (especially in an Olympic year!).
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TFS News Briefs: 12/06/07

Posted December 6th, 2007 at 2:23 PM by Jimmie R. Markham

Section: News & Results, Marathons, Cross Country, Track & Field, Olympics, Drugs In Sports, TFS News Briefs, Trail / Ultra, Masters

8 Athletes From Keene State Test Positive, Track Coach Not Surprised
According to the Keene State College website, 8 athletes tested positive for marijuana in a recent random test of 20 athletes, neither the athletes names nor their sport was revealed. The Keene State College track and cross-country head coach Peter Thomas said, “I was a college student. I’m not surprised.” Read more at: [KSC The Equinox (subscription), NH]

X-Man Arrested for “resisting arrest without violence”
Xavier “X-Man” Carter, in Gainesville, FL training for the Beijing Olympics, was arrested after he ran from police who were approaching him and two companions. The other two men had been involved in an incident at a Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwich Shop. According to this article, Carter’s attorney said he was confident his client wouldn’t face charges. Perhaps Carter was doing some sprint training at the time. Read more at: [Orlando Sentinel][TheTownTalk.com]

Ryan Hall Profiled on USA Today
USA Today features a profile of Ryan Hall, America’s current marathon King. Ryan is quoted in the article as saying, “”I know I can run considerably faster. There’s definitely more gears in there. I’ll get to test those in Beijing.” Read more at: [USA Today]

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TFS News Briefs: 11/11/07

Posted November 11th, 2007 at 8:00 AM by Jimmie R. Markham

Section: News & Results, Cross Country, Track & Field, TFS News Briefs

Rupp, Ducks Win NCAA West Regional X-C Championships
The #1-ranked Oregon Ducks won the 2007 NCAA West Regional Cross-Country Championships on the strength of Galen Rupp’s 1st-place 29:35:45 finish in Eugene, Oregon. The Ducks scored 47 points to 2nd-place Stanford’s 76 points. The Oregon women’s team finished 2nd with 72 points to Stanford’s 1st place 33 points. Stanford’s Teresa McWalters won the 6K race in 19:57:30, eight seconds ahead of Oregon’s Nicole Blood. Read more at: [GoDucks.com]

Michigan Ties 4th-Ranked UW Badgers In Great Lakes Regional X-C Championships
Led by Junior Lex Williams, the #23rd-ranked Michigan Wolverines men’s cross-country team tied the 4th-ranked Wisconsin Badgers in the Great Lakes Regional Cross-Country Championships on Saturday, November 10th, 2007. Both teams scored 68 points. The women’s team finished 2nd to Michigan State, scoring 63 to the Spartans’ 60 points.Read more at: [MGoBlue.com]

Scottish 1st Minister: 2014 Games “Best in History”
Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond pledged to make the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, “the greatest sporting event our country has ever seen… It’s up to us all now to keep building the buzz to make sure we put on an electrifying Games and to make sure that we make the most of this wonderful opportunity.” Read more at: [ic Wales, United Kingdom]
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